Page 25 - Photography_Week

CSC SONY ALPHA 7R III

dynamic range movie effect without
the need for grading on a computer, in
±ÚÚĜƋĜŅĹ ƋŅ „ěXŅčƖ ±ĹÚƤ„ěXŅčƐ ĵŅÚåŸţ
X±ŸƋ ÆƚƋ ĹŅƋ Ĭ屟ƋØ ƋĘå eƀ FFF ʱŸ
±ƤĹåƵ {ĜƻåĬ „ĘĜüƋ aƚĬƋĜě„ĘŅŅƋĜĹč ĵŅÚåØ
ƵĘĜÏĘ Ƌ±ĩåŸ ± ŸåųĜåŸ Ņü ŸĘŅƋŸ ĜĹƤŧƚĜÏĩ
succession with a one-pixel shift
between each to capture a special
ĘĜčĘåųěųåŸŅĬƚƋĜŅĹ Ĝĵ±čå üĜĬå Š±Ÿ Ĝü ƋĘĜŸ
ϱĵåų± ĹååÚŸ ŅĹåšØ ƵĜƋĘ üƚĬĬ ÏŅĬŅƚų
information for each pixel and reduced
moiré in fine patterns and textures.
This requires a longer overall exposure,
though, and hence a relatively static 02
subject and external processing on a
computer. Similar technology has been 03
ƚŸåÚ ±Ĭųå±ÚƼ ŅĹƤÏåųƋ±ĜĹ kĬƼĵŞƚŸØ {åĹƋ±ƻ
and Hasselblad cameras.
In short, the A7R III is a substantial
upgrade of the ‘old’ A7R II. The resolution
is the same, but the continuous
shooting speed has been doubled,
with a buffer capacity and upgraded
±ƚƋŅüŅÏƚŸ ƋŅ ĵ±ƋÏĘØ ±ĹÚ ±ƤŸåųĜåŸ Ņü 01
ŅƋĘåų åĹʱĹÏåĵåĹƋŸ ĵ±ĩåƤƋĘå ĹåƵ
camera an altogether more powerful
and versatile proposition for professional
ŞĘŅƋŅčų±ŞĘåųŸØ ƴĜÚåŅčų±ŞĘåųŸ ±ĹÚƤƵåĬĬě
off enthusiasts.

Build and handling
There’s something different about
the way the A7R III feels in your hand
compared to the A7R II, and on closer
inspection it turns out the new camera is
ƀƐţƀĵĵ ƋĘĜÏĩØ ÏŅĵޱųåÚ ƋŅ ƋĘå ƅLjţƐĵĵ
of the old model. Part of that is due to a
slightly larger grip, and part to a slightly 1 Dynamic range 2 Detail rendition 3 Noise
ƋĘĜÏĩåų ƱÏĩ ŸåÏƋĜŅĹſ ĜƋűŸ ±Ĺ ŅÆŸåųƴ±ƋĜŅĹ It’s not the best in our lab tests, Even at ISO12,800, the Sony It’s a high-resolution sensor,
ų±ƋĘåų ƋʱŠ± ÏųĜƋĜÏĜŸĵţ kƋĘåųƵĜŸåØ ƋĘå but the A7R III’s dynamic range has rendered the text on this so noise does start to creep in
eƀ FFF ŸĘ±ųåŸ ƋĘå Ÿ±ĵå ųåĵ±ųĩ±ÆĬƼ Ÿĵ±ĬĬ is good nonetheless – and it is sign cleanly – at low ISOs, its at higher ISO settings, but the
frontal area as previous models. up against some great rivals. resolution is phenomenal. overall quality remains high.
That’s a good thing if you want
the most compact camera possible,
but there is a caveat. Sony’s camera it’s perfectly manageable with these big a general assumption that electronic
ÆŅÚĜåŸ ĵĜčĘƋ Æå Ÿĵ±ĬĬØ ÆƚƋ ĜƋŸ ĬåĹŸåŸƤô optics, action or portrait shooters might displays will give an accurate rendition
especially its good ones – certainly Ƶ±ĹƋ ƋŅ ĬŅŅĩ ±Ƌ ƋĘå „ŅĹƼ š:ě Ɛ)a čųĜŞ of what the sensor will capture, but that’s
±ųåĹűƋţ ‰ĘåŸå ±ųå ģƚŸƋ ±Ÿ ÆĜčƤ±Ÿ ƋŅ ĵ±ĩå ƋĘå ϱĵåų±ěĬåĹŸ ÏŅĵÆĜűƋĜŅĹ ± ŅĹĬƼ Ƌųƚå ±Ÿ ü±ųƤ±Ÿ ƋĘå ŸÏųååĹűŸ ±ÆĜĬĜƋƼ ƋŅ
ÏŅĵޱų±ÆĬå üƚĬĬěüų±ĵå %„X ĬåĹŸåŸØ bit more wieldy. simulate exposure, white balance and
sometimes bigger, and this has two The rear screen tilts up and down image effects are concerned. It’s a digital
åüüåÏƋŸţ 8ĜųŸƋØ ƵĜƋĘ ±ƤŞųŅ ĬåĹŸ üĜƋƋåÚØ ƋĘå but isn’t fully articulated, so it’s fine for ÚĜŸŞĬ±Ƽ ĬĜĩå ±ĹƼ ŅƋĘåųØ ±ĹÚ ƋĘĜŸ ŅĹå ĜŸ
A7R III doesn’t offer the size advantage horizontal shooting at all sorts of angles, ŞųåƋƋƼ ÏŅĹƋų±ŸƋƼ ±ĹÚ ÏŅƚĬÚ ĵ±ĩå ƼŅƚ
Ņƴåų ± üƚĬĬěüų±ĵå %„X ƋʱƋ ƋĘå ÆŅÚƼě but less flexible when the camera is ƋĘĜĹĩ ŸĘ±ÚŅƵŸ ±ĹÚ ĘĜčĘĬĜčĘƋŸ ±ųå ÏĬĜŞŞåÚ
only dimensions might suggest, and being held vertically. when actually they aren’t.
second, the lenses do feel a bit big The electronic viewfinder in the A7R The A7R III’s shift towards action
for the body. We tried the A7R III with III is crisp and lag-free, but doesn’t give a photography gets a further boost with
„ŅĹƼűŸ ƖĉěŎLjĂĵĵ üxĉØ ŎƅěƐĂĵĵ üxƖţí ƴåųƼ čŅŅÚ ųåŞųåŸåĹƋ±ƋĜŅĹ ŅüƤƋĘå ÚƼűĵĜÏ ± ĹåƵ ĵƚĬƋĜěŸåĬåÏƋŅų ŅĹ ƋĘå ƱÏĩ Ņü ƋĘå
±ĹÚ ƀLjěƖLjLjĵĵ üxƖţí ĬåĹŸåŸØ ±ĹÚ ƵĘĜĬå range the camera will capture. There’s ϱĵåų± üŅų ŸåƋƋĜĹč ƋĘå üŅÏƚŸ ŞŅĜĹƋx±ųå±